Seated at his table by the fire, Yahim had of course heard every word of the new arrival's exchanges with Kailee and the innkeeper. Having finished his dinner, he busied himself in relighting his pipe, watching the stunning blonde walk toward him through a light haze of sweet-smelling smoke. He had no idea how the gods had ever gotten the idea to fashion women out of sunlight and fresh cream, with eyes that sparkled like sapphire and topaz. So different from the women of Sundarya, all dark-eyed glances and midnight hair....

She had thanked the innkeeper and his niece, then approached his table, head up, direct glance, no pretense. Yahim liked that. Good, he thought. No simpering, helpless noblewoman, this. He arose from his seat in respect as she approached. "Young mistress," he nodded, placing his pipe on the table to give her a florid Sundaryan bow. "To what does Yahim Atafahdi, late of the city of Char, owe this most distinct pleasure?"

The Sundaryan male appeared fairly young himself, not much older than a youth, really. Perhaps 5'8", lightly framed and muscled. Dark hair, chin-length at most, that looked as if it could use a trim and a sparse, very short-cropped growth on his chin. He had the dark, mysterious eyes of the Sundar people, black like the desert on a moonless night, and just as full of secrets. He was wearing what she might think of as serviceable traveling clothes in greys and browns, also distinctly Sundaryan in cut and detail, and a short sword in its scabbard on his left hip.

He'd heard the smile in her voice as she spoke with Doughann and Kailee. Now he saw it, in all it's bright glory. "A pleasure to meet you, Sir Yahim," she replied with a curtsey of her own. The movement wasn't graceful as much as it had a certain charm to it. "It seems we might be waiting for the same person in this student of Goentryx's. I wondered if we might share a table and wait together? I'm Aislinn of Mathern."

She extended her hand in a greeting she was more used to -- a farmer's or soldier's handshake. As she leaned a little forward, he caught sight of a silver half-moon draped about her neck. It flickered in and out of the neckline, flirting with the lighting in the inn.

Interesting, Yahim thought as he took her hand. We seem to be under a few misconceptions here. "Ah, one of the priestesses of Mathern then. A doubled pleasure truly," he replied. "A lady of such rare beauty may wait wherever she pleases, surely, but I'm afraid I must confess I am no knight. Just Yahim, a simple trader in spices and rare oils." He did, however, offer to seat her at his table with passable good manners. "And though it pains me to further disabuse such a lovely flower, I must also confess that I was not aware I was waiting for the gentleman's arrival. He is on his way then?"

She blinked at him, then smiled a bit sheepishly. A faint blush stole up her cheeks. "My apologies, then. Kailee said she told you about Janus and I did assume you were waiting for him." She sighed and held her hands, palms upward to him. "I hope you can forgive the assumption and if you'd rather, I'll move elsewhere to wait. I have no idea if he's on his way or not. I was just told to ask here in town after him, and Doughan seemed a good first choice for that."

Lovely indeed. "Kailee did indeed tell me about him. I was asking for information about the grove and she told me he lives there. She didn't tell me he was on his way here, however." Yahim held the chair for her expectantly. "If you would join me at my table I would be honored -- and the envy of every red-blooded male in this room," he assured her. "Please."

"Thank you, Yahim," she smiled again. Carefully, she sat in the chair he offered. Her smile remained intact when she turned her face up to him. Though her blue eyes seemed a little troubled underneath her gratitude.

When he sat down across from her, she rested her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands. "I can only hope Janus is coming here. I made another assumption from Kailee's words, obviously." Aislinn wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I haven't done that so much since I was a teenager. I'm almost ashamed..." she paused and tossed him a wink and a playful grin. "Except that my assumptions allowed me to meet such a darkly handsome stranger."

His eyebrows lifted at that, but he recovered quickly and chuckled at her. "You flatter me, holy one," he said, holding up his pipe as if to ask her if she minded that he smoked it -- the smell of it lingered in the air around the table, fragrant like citrus and honey. "If you find me so, it is only that I am basking in your lovely reflection."

The priestess waved at the pipe in a "go ahead" type of gesture. "I think you may just be blinded because of the difference in my coloring versus what you're used to," she laughed. That laugh said a lot about her, really. It was full, rich and utterly genuine. Across from him sat someone not afraid to live life in the slightest. "Perhaps you're a cool, shaded glade to my brightness?"

Yahim nodded, smiling around his pipe. "Moon-bright, rather than sun," he agreed, tossing the coal back into the fire. "So what brings you here from Caer Talldyr, my lady? And pardon me but I cannot address you by your proper title of `Mother'. You seem much too young and lively for such... weighty responsibilities."

"Looks aren't everything, are they, Yahim?" she asked, and his nod conceded her point. Her blue eyes suddenly became sharp and insightful. "But really, calling me Aislinn will suffice quite nicely," she added with one of her bright smiles. "As to why I've come from Caer Talldyr... it's as I told Doughan. I need to speak with Goentryx, or his student Janus. The Archduid has answers to some questions I have, and if it is as I've heard and he's unavailable, then perhaps Janus has those answers." She sighed softly and shrugged. Her eyes unfocused as she tried making sense of her own instincts and intuition. "Something big is on the horizon. I can feel it. I don't know how I'm involved but I'd like to find out."

"The direct approach," the young man murmured appreciatively. "I like that. It is said," he went on, leaning back in his chair with a fragrant puff, "in Sundarya that the Dagahsi caves are alive with prophecy and rumors again. It is even rumored that one visited Shal-Ahzharah herself, may her reign endure forever." The latter phrase seemed quite formulaic, as if it were added by rote. "If this is true, it seems your instincts are good ones, Aislinn. We shall have to ask Master Janus to find out for sure." And then he grinned. "Always assuming Master Janus is coming here to accomodate us, of course. It could be, dear lady, that we may have to go looking for him -- a prospect I was pondering when you made your entrance."

That laugh of hers should be bottled and sold as a tonic for all ailments of the heart. "If that's the case, I don't think I could come up with a better companion. I came to love my uncle on our trek across Nordren, but I only got him to laugh once the entire time!" she sighed in mock despair. "As for taking off to find Janus, I thought to give Doughan some time to at least try and send a message to him, first before I set off into the wilds of Derugar," she said with almost painful practicality.

"Well, you should not venture into the highlands here alone, Aislinn -- you look as if you could handle that staff of yours, but there are things haunting those places no one should face alone, or so I'm told. It will take some months for a messenger to reach that grove and return, if I'm correctly informed about the distances." He puffed his pipe thoughtfully. "It is unlikely I can stay here in Portsdale for so long. Let us hope we hear better news sooner."

"Oh," she replied, somewhat deflated. "I didn't know it was so far." A soft sigh of resignation escaped her. "Seems that only gives me more questions to ask, when I get the chance. My education is thorough in a lot of areas, but I'm discovering just how sadly lacking it is in a great deal of others. Such as geography," she snorted softly.

A flicker of anger and resentment showed in her eyes before she blinked and cleared it away It wasn't right to blame her mother, her uncle or even this Goentryx for that. They were only doing what they thought was right to keep her safe. But again, the questions... Safe from what, or who? and why?

Yahim studied her for a long moment, puffing his pipe until it was evident that he'd spent the bowl. With a rueful glance into the ashy remnants, he placed it upon the table. "I try to limit myself to one pipeful after dinner," he told her as if in explanation, "though with good tobacco it is difficult. As for Janus and traveling arrangements, try not to be impatient. I have asked around in certain quarters about conditions to the north and west of Portsdale and indicated my interest in knowing who is on the roads between this city and that grove. If we don't hear anything solid in a week, we'll sit down to re-evaluate and discuss our options. Does this sound reasonable?"

"More than reasonable," Aislinn nodded. "Especially since you're being good enough to include me in those plans," she smiled softly. "Thank you, Yahim. Despite my experiences, this is the first time I've been completely on my own, in a city I know nothing about." The twinkle came back to her eye a half-second before she grinned at him. "Seems that I may need to put myself into some capable hands as I learn about things. Do you know of any?" she asked the last, her blue eyes wide with feigned innocence.

"When I find some, I'll certainly let you know," he assured her, enjoying her playfulness. It was good to have a bit of lightheartedness in such dark times. "Until then, I suppose mine will have to do, won't they." It wasn't a question, but the crinkling at the corner of his eyes told her it was playful, too. He looked up and signalled to Kailee, pointing to Aislinn and sort of suggesting the serving girl hurry things along.

Kailee turned and moved into the kitchen. She returned momentarily with a tray that bore fare similar to that which Yahim had recently finished. She also carried a new tankard for Yahim and a refill for Aislinn as well. She quickly took care of the business at hand and removed herself from their presence with a simple nod.

"I suppose I'll see just how capable they are, then," she drawled. That twinkle turned into a devilishly playful glint. "Should be quite the enlightening experience. I might even enjoy it."

The door to the inn opened from the outside. In stepped two road worn and weary travellers, both human men of adult age. One of them, the blonde, looked more exhausted than the other one.

"Uncle Doughan," Kailee yelled in the direction of the kitchen. "Ya better come oot here."

Doughan rushed through the doors and stopped. "Sweet Bridget" the deep man's voice bellowed from across the room. "Blessed Beldrem, Janus it's good to see you." Doughan moved quickly from behind the bar and embraced the young druid fiercely.

OOC: This will close this prologue as I start the next one.